i) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of recording and reproducing a table of contents in a digital magnetic tape recording and reproducing apparatus, and more particularly to an improved method for readily recording and reproducing contents of a program on a magnetic tape having a format constituted by a PCM (pulse code modulation) area for recording data and a subarea for recording subcode signals.
ii) Description of the Related Arts
Conventionally, an apparatus for recording digital data on predetermined tracks of a magnetic tape has been developed and, for example, is known as an R-DAT. This digital magnetic tape apparatus, different from a conventional analog recording system, has not only advantages such as small signal deterioration when recording and reproducing and a high recording density but also other advantages, for example, various follow-up recordings and a high speed search facility, a music selection and an editing facility, using a subarea can be readily carried out.
In the digital magnetic tape apparatus represented by the R-DAT, a helical scan system for slantingly scanning a rotary head with relation to a running magnetic tape is used. In such a helical scan system, straight long tracks slightly inclined with relation to the tape running direction are formed on the magnetic tape.
Further, in this helical scan system, the tracks possess a tape format constituted by a PCM (main) area, usually for recording digital data and a subarea for recording digital subcodes representing information or characteristics of the digital data. Thus, by continuously forming the tracks on the magnetic tape, a predetermined data recording operation can be carried out, and a data control can actually be performed using the subcode signals of the subareas of the tracks.
Accordingly, for example, when the data to be recorded are a plurality of pieces of music, a program number of each piece of music, a start code signal, a priority code signal and the like are recorded in the subareas of the necessary tracks.
In such a conventional digital magnetic tape apparatus, since the program numbers of the delimited data are consecutively written in the necessary subareas, by successively searching the program numbers, the necessary program numbers for certain pieces of music can be selected. Further, by cooperating with a program memory storing the recording order of the program numbers, a random high speed search of the program numbers is made possible.
However, in the conventional digital magnetic tape apparatus represented by the R-DAT, the Whole of a table of contents recorded on the magnetic tape can not be looked through. Normally, a user just writes down the table of contents of the data recorded in a separately prepared notebook or tape case card.
Further, recently, such a digital magnetic tape apparatus has become miniaturized for a portable type and has also been mounted in a automobile or the like. In such an apparatus mounted in an automobile, the need for carrying out an operation of the apparatus occurs during the driving of the automobile. Thus it is almost impossible to read the the aforementioned conventional notebook or card for a data selection or a music selection.